Congo, Democratic Republic Of

Over the past ten years, the Democratic Republic of Congo has suffered a continuous complex humanitarian crisis. The 2012 Human Development Index ranked DRC 186th out of 187 countries – a significant deterioration since 2009, when it ranked 176th out of 182 countries. Years of conflict, poor governance, land disputes and human rights violations have resulted in the deterioration of the humanitarian situation and devastated infrastructure. These factors have aggravated an already precarious food security situation and adversely affected the economy.

Accessing vulnerable communities and IDPs by road is extremely challenging, given the high level of insecurity, poor infrastructure and long routes. Hence, air transportation is required. In 2014, UNHAS DRC is operating a fleet of four aircraft, comprising of one 50-seater ERJ-145, which operates from Kinshasa to the provincial capitals, two 19-seater LET-410 aircraft with one operational base each in Goma and Kalemie, and one Beechcraft 1900 based in Kinshasa for flights to the two Kasai Provinces and Equator Provinces. UNHAS DRC transports on average over 3,210 passengers and 19.9 mt of cargo per month. About 180 humanitarian organizations rely on UNHAS to implement and monitor humanitarian activities in DRC.